Disturbing Image

[laughter_n_love]

Those of you who know of me know that I hardly ever post outside of the Stories section, but I felt compelled to share a recent experience with this group. If anyone can relate to or shed light upon the story I'm about to tell, it would be you fine people.

Like a good many of our members, I trace my love/fetish/obsession (pick your word of choice) for tickling as far back as I can remember. One of my earliest memories (shared in Biscuit's monster thread) is one of tickling my older cousin as a baby. But when did this fetish of mine originate? What was the cause?

About a week ago, I was at my parent's house for a visit. My wife was in the hospital recovering from surgery, and because my folks live a stone's throw from the hospital, they were kind enough to help me babysit my 3 month old daughter for the day. My mother loves her grandchild, and was only trying to keep my baby amused and happy, but what I witnessed disturbed me...

My mother was holding my daughter on her lap, and out of nowhere, pulls off her little socks and begins tickling her little feet.

As a father with a tickling fetish, I am overly careful about tickling her at all. Even though I can distinguish the difference between the kind of tickling that excites me, and the kind of tickling that is appropriate between a father and daughter, I never want my wife to accuse me of mistreating her. Besides, she's 3 months old...she can hardly tell me if she enjoys it or hates it. As a result, I almost never tickle her.

But watching my mother whip off her socks and attack her feet made my heart leap up into my throat. Is this what she did to me when I was 3 months old? Is this why I have a fetish for tickling today at age 32?

I couldn't say anything to my mother about what she had done. How could I? She was just a grandmother playing with her grandchild, right? Purely innocent. All in good fun.

But was this the sort of good fun that made me the way I am today????

Laughter

 

[toyou444]

My impression of this has always been that something in our psyche makes tickling more to us than to the next person. I don not rmember being tickled alot as a child but its been a point of interest to me as far back as kindergarden (and yes, I remember that far back clearly).

I, too, am very careful about tickling my children for the same reason...but my wife, her sister, everyone else...they think its great fun and the kids love it. So if they both end up with a love of tickling for fun then so be it. It didn't kill me and it won't kill them.

~ toyou

A Fruedian slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother.

 

[The Sean Man]

When I was little, I remember being a CONSTANT tickle target....brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, everybody just seemed to single me out...how awful😀

The Sean Man

 

[Mitchell]

I'm wondering if I got my tickling fetish from childhood too, although I was aware of liking feet at about age 5, but didnt get into tickling as a fetish until I was 27. My grandmother used to tickle my feet when I was little, and I have distinct rememberances of my grandfather tickling me on my sides. I also have a foot fetish, and when I was younger, I used to walk on my toes on my left foot until surgery for a short tendon corrected it. My relatives were always looking at my feet, and telling me to walk on my heels. I think it is possible that the early tickle experiences, plus all the attention that was paid to my feet, made me gain the fetishes I have today. They say many sex fetishes are as a result of things that happen in childhood, and it was that way with me, I believe.

Mitch

 

[shdwcoder]

I think it's hard to say where our proclivities come from. As a child, I never experienced any of the things I have a love/fetish/obsession for as an adult. I can't recall being tickled as a child, although I must have been from time to time. Who grows up without ever being tickled? I did, however, experience other things that deeply affected who I grew up to be. As an adult, I felt I wasn't ticklish at all, I got no pleasant sensations from it. I found it extremely annoying, if anything. Fortunately, that all changed a year ago.
In the case of tickling your daughter, was it just a little tickle or an extended period of torture? What was the baby's reaction? As a mom, and an aunt to a terribly ticklish four-year-old and a newborn, I can imagine situations where it is perfectly harmless and innocent. Did the baby cry, get upset, display signs of discomfort? Or was the baby giggling and otherwise appearing happy? Just a guess on my part, but I think your daughter is at the age where she is just starting to display some really delightful giggles and baby belly laughs. I'm betting grandma just wanted to experience one of life's greatest pleasures, a giggling baby.
karen

(who likes to play devils advocate )

 

[TicklishSinner]

i think everything is ok but your reeading to far into only because you have the fetish so you are more aware of it, i think your mom just likes to see her grandbaby smile

 

[daddy]

I actually believe that my grandmother had something to do with the way I turned out. When I was little she always tickled me every chance she got. I use to make sure that I wouldn't get my feet anywhere near her when sitting or lying on the couch next to her...lol She also tickled me when I was really young...how do I know?...I have pictures!!! I guess it was her way of getting me to "smile" for the camera. It's all normal fun.

peace out,
daddy

 

[Ayla ny]

laughter_n_love, I know what you mean. I deal with these worries and doubts on almost a daily basis. but it really is just affection sometimes. I’m not sure why it means more to some of us than it does to others... but I like to fall back on my favorite analogy (credit to DVNC) when I worry about stuff like this. it’s like kissing. if Grandma had been covering her little face with kisses... you would have kept breathing, right? (and you wouldn’t be worried about her developing a kissing fetish or becoming a canibal) and in a few years, when she kisses you goodnight, it will be very different from when you kiss your wife, right?

it’s what keeps things it check for me.

regardless, make her feel good about her and she will be ok.

ps have you tried the iced lattes yet?

 

[dvnc]

*bamf*

Who invoked me?

Hee hee! JK. Happened upon this thread in one o' my few moments of excess time.

The kissing analogy is a good one for many reasons, and this is one. SEVERAL of the folks I've befriended in this lifetime absolutely HATE tickling, and blame parental tickling excess, or sibling tickling excess, for this. Some of us don't remember any excess tickling, and have very politely restrained parents, yet can remember this interest appearing in earliest memories.

Further this with the medical belief that stimulating a baby is considered positive. Overstimulating them is not. If grandma plays with the child, and the child comes back again, happy to see her, the child is happy with the play. Watch for the child being UNHAPPY with said relation before sweating the activity.

After all, not EVERYONE gets this interest. It's not provably hereditary, though some have parents into it. It's an interest for some, an obsession for others, and if done respectfully, harms no one.

Brings about another fav saying - "It's all about the love." How you go about tickling someone will help determine their reaction. If grandma is emoting love, big time, the child will receive tickling as love, thus it's positive for her.

Yet another parent checking in,

dvnc

 

[Iluv2Btickled]

Who grows up without ever being tickled?

I'm betting grandma just wanted to experience one of life's greatest pleasures, a giggling baby.
karen

(who likes to play devils advocate )

That first question has never crossed my mind before.....makes ya think.....

As for tickling a baby.....I think its the best thing you could do for it as far as love goes. You're teaching it interactive skills and giving it probably its first happy feelings when you tickle it. I dont know for sure cuz I'm no mother...yet. I'm too young. But I think its perfectly normal.IMHO😀 😎

 

[the_Baron]

can we pretend you're my kid, and i'm introducing you to these happy feelings??????

😉

 

[isabeau]

i am wondering the same thing about my fetish, as i call my desire and dread both to have my feet tickled. as a child a very small child, my mom would play this little piggy with my toes. i hated having my feet tickled. i once got a splinter imbedded in the bottom of my sole, and had to be held down to remove it. i never allow my husband to touch or tickle my feet. so why do i so yearn for it??? both yearn and dread at the same time. was it because as a child, a small child, my mother did this to me? who knows. and will i ever realize my dream of being tied and torture tickled? thats the burning question.

isabeau

 

[dtrell]

im sure there are plenty on here that would fulfill that fantasy for you isabeauE...including me...

 

[Oddjob0226]

So why didn't you return the favor to your mom?

No one asks the really big questions!

 

[AffectionateDan]

As most everyone else here has already said in one way or another, I'm sure you're reading between the toes... er, the lines, reading between the lines, yes, that's it. 🙄 As a man who spent 13 years married to a woman who knew about my passion and not only didn't share it, but made sure I felt like a pervert/molester anytime any sort of tickling happened, I totally understand how you must feel. But, given the benefit of hindsight and the knowledge that I'm NOT the only person in the world who loves this in ALL it's various levels of play, I can honestly say that I doubt there's anything to lose any sleep over. I'm a strong believer that there is a tickling gene, and that this thing of ours is hereditary. I know in my heart that my brothers and I got it from Dad, and I in turn have passed it along to my son. Chips off the old ticklemonster block. Awareness isn't a problem... it gives you the perspective you need to detect a problem.

It's all about the love. Whether you're indulging in innocent horseplay with family or erotic foreplay with a lover, or anything in between.

 

[Tcklsh_Kandy]

When I was little, I remember being a CONSTANT tickle target....brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, everybody just seemed to single me out...how awful😀

The Sean Man

I know how you feel I was the same way . Wait! Was? I still am .....lol

As far as the baby , I just think grandma wanted to see her granddaughter laugh and smile . What parent/grandparent wouldn't ???

 

[laughter_n_love]

Interesting that this thread should be revived now. My 3 month old daughter is now 18 months old, and will be quite able to let Grandma know if she doesn't want to be tickled. But the true test comes this week, when my parents roll into town to meet their new grandson (3 weeks old today). He's too little to tickle play with, so he should be safe, but I'll be watching my mother like a hawk anyway!

Laughter

 

[Oddjob0226]

That's the Freudian can-do spirit!

 

[RobAce]

I agree with most everyone here

I seem to be with most of those that have already responded, I have 2 children, both girls and I have tickled them both as their father. I know the diffrence in my head between the tickling I do with my wife on a daily basis and those when I play with my children. I was never ticklish as a child so I think the thoughts of those that were is what perked my curiousity in my childhood and then early teens and turned me into what I enjoy today. As long as you know the diffrence between "paternal" tickling and "sensual" tickling, I think everything will be okay. I too struggled at first when our first girl was born but with the help of my wife instilling the confidence in me that she knew that I knew the diffrence really helped. Knowing that your loved one isnt thinking something awful you will sooth the mind and stop the worring and looking over your shoulder. Enjoy your children for they are truly the greatest the gifts this would will ever bring your way.

Thats just my dollar and 2 cents worth